Obama, Christie talk teenagers, skip White House race in visit to New Jersey

NEPTUNE - What may be more interesting than the conversation
President Barack Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie had
during the president's visit this weekend to tour flood-ravaged
neighborhoods was what they did not talk about: whether Christie
will jump into the 2012 race for the White House.

Christie said Tuesday that after a former aide to President George
W. Bush went on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday and said that Christie
was "actively" reconsidering a run for president, he saw the news
on his iPhone, and was sure the president saw it, too, on his
phone.

"I noticed it and chuckled to myself," Christie said, but added
that he did not bring it up with Obama, who he was sure also saw
the news. "I wasn't going to pull out the iPhone and say, ‘Hey, Mr.
President, look at this, they say I'm actively reconsidering
running against you.' Especially when you're looking for FEMA
money, I don't think that's what you want to be doing."

That moment was made more awkward, Christie said, when there was
some confusion about whether he would ride back on Marine One to
the airport with the president.

Christie said Obama began to say farewell, which confused Christie,
who was told he would ride with Obama.

"When the president is showing you the door, you don't say, ‘Oh,
no, no. I'm supposed to be riding with you," Christie said.

After a White House staffer told Christie that he was in fact
riding back with Obama, he said he and the president had a good
laugh about it.

"When we got off and were both walking toward Air Force One, he
said, ‘You're not coming on there with me too, are you,'" Christie
recalled. "And I said, ‘Only if you ask.'"

Obama replied: "No, you can finish here."

Christie said that besides the flooding, the two talked mostly
about the trials and tribulations of their jobs and of raising
teenage daughters.

"We spent most of our time talking about issues that fathers of
teenage girls talk about," Christie said. "Comparing notes on that
and comparing notes on the pressures of our jobs and the effects it
has on our families."